Contents

Appearance

According to Archmaester Gyldayn, Sunfyre was the most beautiful dragon ever seen upon the earth.[2] Sunfyre had gleaming gold scales, which shone like beaten gold in the sunlight, and pale pink wing membranes.[1] His flames were golden as well.[1] Huge and heavy, Sunfyre was a formidable fighter despite his youth.[1]

History

Sunfyre's egg hatched on Dragonstone.[1] Although Sunfyre's exact year of birth has never been stated, he was described as being a "young" dragon in 120 AC[2] and 129 AC.[3][1] Sunfyre is known to have been older than Tessarion.[3] Although it is unknown when exactly Prince Aegon Targaryen claimed Sunfyre as his mount, he is known to have been claimed by the prince by 120 AC.[2]

Dance of the Dragons

King Aegon II Targaryen rode Sunfyre during the Dance of the Dragons. Upon Sunfyre's back, King Aegon II participated in Battle of Rook's Rest, one of the first major battles of the war, in 129 AC. At Rook's Rest, Aegon II, his Hand of the King Ser Criston Cole, and his brother Prince Aemond, lured Princess Rhaenys Targaryen into a trap. Sunfyre and Aemond's dragon Vhagar faced Rhaenys's dragon Meleys in battle, and although the older, cunning and battle-experienced Meleys might have stood a chance against Vhagar alone, the combined forces of Vhagar and Sunfyre were too much. The three dragons battled a thousand feet above the fields. At one point, Meleys managed to closed her jaws around Sunfyre's neck, but Vhagar fell upon them from above, causing the three dragons to fall to the earth. Although Vhagar and Sunfyre emerged victorious from the fight, Sunfyre was grievously wounded in the battle, as one wing had been half torn from his body during the fight.[1]

Sunfyre the Golden by E. Cabrera

Unable to fly and too huge and heavy to be moved, Sunfyre remained near Rook's Rest to allow him time to heal. Ser Criston Cole stationed men near the dragon to guard him. At first, the dragon fed on the burned carcasses of the slain soldiers, but after those were gone, Cole's men brought the dragon calves and sheep to eat.[1]

When Lord Walys Mooton reconquered Rook's Rest from Aegon II's forces, he led his bravest men to Sunfyre, hoping to slay the dragon. Enraged by the attacks upon him, Sunfyre fought back with his tail and flames. Three score of the attackers died before the others fled. Amongst the slain was Lord Walys Mooton. Within a fortnight of the attack, Sunfyre had disappeared.[1] Although his wing had healed in an awkward angle, Sunfyre had recovered enough from his battle with Meleys to fly once again.[1] For half a year, Sunfyre recovered in a remote fishing village.[3] According to the Crabbs and Brunes Sunfyre may have hidden in the dark piney woods and caves of Crackclaw Point before eventually making his way to Dragonstone.[1][3] In his text The Princess and the Queen, Archmaester Gyldayn speculates on Sunfyre's reason for doing so, suggesting the option of a primal instinct to return to his birthplace, or urge to rejoin his rider, Aegon II, who had been hiding on the island. According to Gyldayn, some even suggest that Sunfyre was able to feel Aegon II's urgent need of him.[1]

Whatever the case, Sunfyre killed the wild dragon Grey Ghost upon his return, and, reunited with his rider, hid with Aegon II in a lair on the desolate eastern slopes of the Dragonmont. There, more than half a year since the dragon's disappearance, they were discovered by Tom Tanglebeard and his son, Tom Tangletongue, and bastard nephew, Ser Marston Waters, who had concluded from the tales of drunken Volantene sailors than the golden dragon was on the island. Aegon flew upon Sunfyre every day since, regaining strength, while the two Toms and Ser Marston returned to the castle to seek supporters for Aegon within Rhaenyra's stronghold to capture the castle. Dragonstone fell easily to Aegon II's supporters, and Aegon victoriously flew Sunfyre to the castle, where Lady Baela Targaryen and her dragon Moondancer rose to meet him in battle as they were fleeing the castle. Although younger and smaller, Moondancer was also quicker than Sunfyre, who was still troubled by his wounds. Moondancer managed to injure Sunfyre further in battle and for a time was able to evade his flames, but was blinded when a blast of Sunfyre's golden flames hit her directly in the eyes. Despite the fire, Moondancer advanced on Sunfyre, slamming into him and falling to the ground with him. Although both dragons survived the fall, upon the ground Moondancer's speed could not defeat Sunfyre's size and weight. Sunfyre eventually killed the younger dragon.[1]

Final weeks

The battle with Moondancer had left Sunfyre even more injured than he had been before. He was covered in fresh scars along his back, had huge wounds along his neck and scabs on his belly, and had lost his right eye. He would forever be unable to fly, and remained in the yard where he had fallen from the sky, at first feeding on the carcass of Moondancer, later on slaughtered sheep.[1] Sunfyre also dined upon Grandmaester Gerardys who was later disembowelled and dangled before the wounded dragon so Sunfyre could consume Gerardys legs and innards, though Aegon who commanded the killing, ordered that Geradys upper torso be hung from the castle battlements next to the gates to welcome his sister on her return.[4]

On the twenty-second day of the tenth moon of 130 AC, a captive Rhaenyra Targaryen was fed to Sunfyre by King Aegon II. It is said that Sunfyre only reacted to Rhaenyra after she had been pricked by a dagger, with the smell of her blood rousing the dragon. Sunfyre bathed her in a blast of his flames before closing his jaws around her. Further, it is said that Sunfyre devoured Rhaenyra in six bites, leaving only her left leg below the shin.[1]

Although King Aegon II initially hoped that Sunfyre might recover enough to fly once again, the dragon weakened and eventually refused to eat. He died from his wounds about six weeks after Rhaenyra's death, on the nineth day of the twelfth moon of 130 AC. King Aegon wept upon his death.[1]